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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29352003">I’m glad you didn’t die, idiot</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dinogirlparis/pseuds/dinogirlparis'>dinogirlparis</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Voltron: Legendary Defender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Arguing, Canon-Typical Violence, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Fluff and Angst, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, M/M, Major Character Injury, Miscommunication, Near Death Experiences, Oblivious Lance (Voltron), Swearing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 14:07:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,594</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29352003</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dinogirlparis/pseuds/dinogirlparis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lance gets injured protecting Keith leading to another bonding moment, but when Lance wakes up Keith is mad at him. Lance can’t figure out why Keith is angry, he thought they were starting to get along or were at least better than you could die and I wouldn’t care.</p><p>Keith is upset, because he can’t keep watching Lance get hurt. Because if he keeps being reckless he might actually die and Keith doesn’t know what he would do with himself if Lance did die.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Keith/Lance (Voltron)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>164</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. You’re not going to die, I won’t let you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A/N: I do not own Voltron or any of its characters. </p><p>Please leave comments, I would love to hear what you think.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They’re almost done downloading the information for Pidge, when the door crashes inward and galra guards burst through. <em>Shit.</em></p><p>
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</p><p>“Lance,” Keith calls over his shoulder without looking behind him, “you might want to hurry up.” </p><p>
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</p><p>“I’m trying, just give me a second we’re almost there.” </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith pulls out his bayard turning it into a sword, which he raises in anticipation. “I'll do my best.” He runs charging his way down the hallway. <em>Three against one,<em> great odds, Keith thinks sarcastically. </em></em></p><p>
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</p><p>The first guard is fast, but he's hesitant and Keith uses this to his advantage, slashing his side bad enough he meekly scurries away. Keith knows not to worry whatever the galra due to cowards is worse then whatever he would. </p><p>
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</p><p>The other two sadly aren't hesitant at all.</p><p>
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</p><p>Slashing his sword in front of him, Keith manages to nick one of the galra in surprise. The guard turns redirecting his attention to Keith. He smirks, pulling out his own sword that’s several inches longer. </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith manages to block the blow, the galra has more force, but Keith’s faster. He gets in several small gabs distracting the guard. He's making progress, but it’s slow, and he can already see the other Galra guard's approach. </p><p>
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</p><p>“Lance,” he huffs annoyedly over his shoulder, “hurry up and get the fuck over here.” </p><p>
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</p><p>“One second, we're almost there.” </p><p>
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</p><p>Hearing footsteps behind him Keith groans, <em>great<em> he thinks, <em>another one.</em></em></em></p><p>
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</p><p>He slashes at the galra’s side and hopes he’s distracted him long enough. </p><p>
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</p><p>Turning, he steps toward the other guard who pushes against his sword with his own. The guard steps forward and Keith braces his stance. He's always played dirty, knowing the way to win is the element of surprise. He raises his arm and in the moment of the galra's confusion he slams the back of his elbow into the guard's face hard enough he falls to the ground. </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith sighs heavily, turning to meet the original guard, barely managing to block the enemy's swipe. </p><p>
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</p><p>“Okay, okay.” Lance calls footsteps picking up in the distance. “Got it.” </p><p>
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</p><p>Pulling out his bayard it transforms into a gun. Lance breathes deeply bracing his gun with his left hand. He allignes the shoot over Keith's shoulder where the taller Galra chest is. Lance pulls the trigger, hitting where he suspects the galra's heart is. The guard's arm slowly slacken and he wobbles falling backwards with a deep thump. Lance smirks, <em>not sharp-shooter his ass.</em></p><p>
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</p><p>“Finally.” Keith huffs letting his sword arm lower, but it's still tense and poised in front of him. </p><p>
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</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, I hear you. It’s a good thing sharpshooter's here to save your stupid mullethead.” </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith rolls his eyes. “Don’t refer to yourself in the third person. What are you, a fourth graders who’s trying too hard to be cool?” </p><p>
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</p><p>“Ouch.” Lance raises his hand to his chest as if the words hurt him, “I'll have you know, I was a very cool fourth grader. In fact there was this one time with-"</p><p>
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</p><p>“Lance,” Keith cuts off, “we don’t have time, more guards are coming.”</p><p>
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</p><p>“My time to shine.” Lance smirks raising his gun. </p><p>
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</p><p>He turns to Keith, smile wide. "I've always wanted to do that, mission impossible style.” </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith steps around him walking quickly down the narrow steel hallway. "While now you've done it, so if we could hurry it the fuck up."</p><p>
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</p><p>"I'm Keith,” Lance says in an annoying falsetto, “and I like to take the fun out of everything, cause I'm an emo fingerless glove wearing loser who can never be happy."</p><p>
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</p><p>Tightening the grip on his sword Keith breathes deeply in and out, <em>he's not going to hit Lance. He is not going to hit Lance. <em></em></em></p><p>
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</p><p>"Can you shut up?"</p><p>
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</p><p>Lance turns as if he's speaking to someone beside him. "What did I say he's no-" </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith leans over Lance, putting his hand over his mouth. "Shhhh" he whispers and motions with his other hand around the corner where he can hear the deep thump of footsteps. </p><p>
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</p><p>Lance calms, stilling and Keith looks at him warningly before slowly pulling his hand away. </p><p>
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</p><p>He takes several steps backwards, freezing when he hears something behind him. Slowly he turns to look over his shoulder, cringing when he sees more guard's coming from the other direction. <em>Fuck.<em></em></em></p><p>
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</p><p>Keith completed the turn facing the way they came, sword raised expectantly.<br/>
"Well here's your mission impossible fantasy. Good luck getting out of this."</p><p>
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</p><p>"Keithy you should know by now not to doubt my abilities." Lance turns till his back is a couple inches away from Keith's.</p><p>
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</p><p>Raising his gun, Lance smiles. "Bring it on purple space gremlins."</p><p>
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</p><p>Keith rolls his eyes, but tightens the grip on his sword and shuffles widening his stance. </p><p>
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</p><p>The guard's approach quickly and Keith raises his sword, starring determinedly. </p><p>
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</p><p>Hitting the first guard's sword, Keith grits his teeth struggling to push back against the other's strength. They manage to use this against him, circling his sword downward. Keith slackens his hold and let's him, waiting till he has the opportunity, he holds and then drives his sword forward, impaling the guard's stomach. The guard stumbles backwards placing a hand to his side. </p><p>
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</p><p>Before Keith can step forward and finish him off, another guard swipes upward towards him and Keith shifts on his feet, raising his sword to counter. He struggles to find an opening in the enemies perfect stance. Keith can hear the original guard’s steps behind him. Drawing his arm away from the guard he swings backwards hitting the first guard in the stomach with the but of his sword. He doubles over stepping backwards. </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith turns towards the other guard who managed to nick him in the shoulder, a small trickle of blood running down his arm. Keith can hear another guard’s approach, he knows he won’t be able to fight so many at once. He steps backwards back running into Lance. </p><p>
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</p><p>“Lance, a little help.” </p><p>
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</p><p>Lance turns raising his gun over Keith’s shoulder to fire at the approaching guard. </p><p>
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</p><p>“Thanks.” Keith huffs. </p><p>
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</p><p>“What did I tell you, don’t doubt the mastermind.” </p><p>
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</p><p>“Yeah, cause you're the mastermind here.” </p><p>
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</p><p>“What can’t hear you,” Lance raises one hand to cup his ear, using the other to fire at another guard over Keith’s shoulder, “I'm a little busy saving your ass.” </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith chuckles, swiping at a guard. </p><p>
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</p><p>Sensing movement, Lance turns to see a guard raising a sword above Keith’s back. Lunging forward, Lance raises his gun aiming at the guard. He fires as his body slides towards keith. The guard falls, but not before his sword swipes cutting along Lance’s side. </p><p>
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</p><p>"What?" Keith asks voice rough and heavy, as he stabs the galra in front of him. </p><p>
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</p><p>Lance presses a button on his suit opening the charter of the Comms. "Do you think we could hurry up a bit?"</p><p>
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</p><p>Pidge's voice echoes through his helmet, "We're trying our best out here -" her voice crackles before dissolving into mind numbing static.</p><p>
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</p><p>Keith turns, "Lance what's wrong? Oh my god!" Lance is holding his side blood slowly pumping through his fingers, trailing down his side. </p><p>
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</p><p>"I know my beauty can be startling sometimes."</p><p>
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</p><p>Lowering his sword, Keith steps towards Lance hands extended to help, but they stay hovering awkwardly in the air unsure what to do. "Lance you're bleeding." </p><p>
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</p><p>"Thanks for telling me I hadn't noticed." Lance's voice is bright as ever, but there's a weight behind it as if he was carrying the sun.</p><p>
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</p><p>"It's like a lot." </p><p>
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</p><p>Lance removes his hand from the wound looking at the red that glistens on his fingers. Whimpering, he places his hand back on his side applying pressure.</p><p>
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</p><p>"I know it's gonna be a bitch to clean. It's not like we have washers in space." </p><p>
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</p><p>Moving to Lance's left, Keith wraps his arm around Lance's shoulders, careful to avoid the wound. </p><p>
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</p><p>"Can you walk?"</p><p>
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</p><p>Lance scoffs, taking a step forward before wincing, scrunching his face in pain. "Fuck that hurts." </p><p>
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</p><p>Lifting his hand, Lance inspects the wound through the slashes in his armour. It's thankfully a clean cut, but it runs across the width of his side. "Must be deeper than I thought."</p><p>
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</p><p>Keith looks over, worry evident in his eyes. "Don't lift your hand, you have to keep applying pressure. We don't need you bleeding out on a galra ship.” </p><p>
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</p><p>"Ohhh Keithy, my buddy, my pal it almost sounded like you might care about me for a moment there." </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith sighs tightening his arm around Lance trying to walk as fast as he can. "Don't be a dumbass." </p><p>
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</p><p>"So," Lance huffs struggling to catch his breath, "you're saying you don't care about me. Here I am dying"</p><p>
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</p><p>"You're not dying." Keith replies lips tight, tone firm as if he could command it to be true.</p><p>
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</p><p>Struggling to keep up with Keith’s hurried steps, Lance sways. "and here you are being rude to me on my deathbed."</p><p>
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</p><p>Keith sighs frustratedly. "Of course I care about whether or not you die," he said the word bitterly as if the very mention of it was painful, "you're a good paladin. We… the team needs you." </p><p>
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</p><p>Lance doesn't say anything and the silence drags almost as heavy as his weight for several seconds. </p><p>
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</p><p>Stumbling, breath loud and ragged, Lance swerves into Keith. Keith stops allowing Lance to huff in short deep breaths. Turning, he can see the pain in Lance's scrunched features. He's biting his lip, struggling not to let out a whimper at every step.</p><p>
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</p><p>"Lance," Keith says desperately. </p><p>
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</p><p>Staring down at his feet in horror, Lance speaks in a deceptively even tone. "I don't think I can walk all the way back to the lions. Just go ahead first it's faster you can get to the lions and if there's time," lance shrugs, hoping his shoulders don't shake, "you can come back and get me."</p><p>
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</p><p>"Lance." Keith's voice is heavy and commanding, "you're going to make it. We're almost there."</p><p>
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</p><p>"I can barely walk. I'm only slowing you down and if the galra come this way-"</p><p>
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</p><p>"Lance!"  Turning, Keith draws Lance to his side so he could look him in the eye. "I'm not leaving you to die on an enemy ship. If the galra do come you won't be able to protect yourself."</p><p>
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</p><p>"Are you doubting my abilities?” Lance jokes but his tone is off, tilted by fear, “Which one of us is called sharp-shooter?"</p><p>
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</p><p>"Lance," Keith repreminds, "I'm not leaving you here."</p><p>
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</p><p>"Well,"Lance's voice, is angry, breaking in shakes and underlying fear. "I can't walk so it's not like-"</p><p>
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</p><p>Keith leans closer to Lance placing his arm under Lance's knees, hosting him up into his arms so Lance is leaning against Keith's chest bridal style. "Who said you needed to walk?" Keith says, tone bitter and final. </p><p>
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</p><p>With Lance in his arms he can walk faster. "Are you escorting me, I know I'm pretty but I'm not a lady." </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith rolls his eyes and picks up his pace. Lance was starting to sound tired eyes fluttering between open and closed. </p><p>
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</p><p>"I hope whatever Pidge wanted ends up being important, cause if it's just for one of her weird robot friends she finds I'm gonna be pissed. It better be like something-" Laces words slowly grow quieter until they stop entirely.</p><p>
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</p><p>Looking down, Keith doesn't see Lance's sky blue eyes, but rather his closed eyelids. <em>Fuck.<em> "Lance." Keith says, voice desperate and raw. No response. </em></em></p><p>
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  <em>Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.<em></em></em>
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</p><p>"Lance!" Keith pats Lance’s cheek several times. When Lance slowly opens his bright blue eyes, Keith doesn't stop his sigh of relief. "You have to keep your eyes open."</p><p>
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</p><p>"Don't wanna." Lance whines, eyes already starting to drift close. </p><p>
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</p><p>"Hey," he gently pats Lance's cheek again, running his fingers through Lance's short hair, "we're almost there okay you've just got to stay awake for a couple more minutes." </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith can see red and blue in the distance. He's going to have to leave blue. He knows it's dumb it could risk everything they've worked for leaving a lion on a galra ship, but he just doesn't have time for anything else. </p><p>
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</p><p>"Why don't you tell me something? I know you love to talk." </p><p>
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</p><p>Lance groans attempting to shift his weight nuzzling his face into Keith's chest. </p><p>
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</p><p>"Come on I bet you have something funny to say. I won't even make fun of you this time."</p><p>
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</p><p>He's so close only a couple more steps until they reach red. There's a basic first aid kit inside, he can bandage Lance then fly to the castle. </p><p>
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</p><p>They're almost there. </p><p>
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</p><p>Lance reaches his hand running it along Keith's cheek. "You have a scar there." </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith raises his eyebrow looking down at Lance quizzically, but he doesn't say anything because Lance is talking, and his beautiful eyes are open.</p><p>
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</p><p>"Where did you get that?" </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith shrugs and Lance's body raises with him. "Don't know, I've had it since I was a kid."</p><p>
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</p><p>The scars a faint white line across his cheek, light enough it can only be seen up close.</p><p>
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</p><p>Keith notices Lance's eyelids start to slacken. <em>Shit.<em> He needs to think of something, they're almost there. "Why?"</em></em></p><p>
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</p><p>"Just didn't know. Want to know all about you."</p><p>
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</p><p>Keith glances over at blue scared to leave her in galra territory, but he thinks she'd rather have her paladin safe.</p><p>
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</p><p>Entering red, he lays lance in the seat next to his. Lance won't let go, grip tight on his shirt and Keith had to pry his fingers off of him. He leans over, turning on red and putting her in auto pilot. </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith runs to the back of the ship, grabbing the first aid kit. </p><p>
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</p><p>"Keith.” Lance groans, rolling his head along the headrest side to side. </p><p>
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</p><p>"I'm here, I'm here." Keith pants making his way back to Lance.</p><p>
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</p><p>He kneels down in front of him. </p><p>
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</p><p>Lance grabs his shirt again, though his grip is slack "Stay."</p><p>
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</p><p>Keith shakes his head, refusing to let the panic into his voice and the tears from slipping down his cheeks. "I'm here okay. See, I'm not going anywhere."</p><p>
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</p><p>Relaxing, Lance flops back against the chair. </p><p>
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</p><p>"Okay, let’s see what we're working with here." Keith says, praying for his hands to stop shaking.</p><p>
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</p><p>Gently Keith rests his hand over Lance's. Lance looks up at him, tears building in his fearful eyes, but he nods at Keith to continue. Forcing his gaze downward towards Lance's blood soaked trembling hands, Keith squeezes his eyes shut and prys Lance's weak grip away from the wound. Lance groans softly as more blood trickles through his fingers. <em>Fuck.<em> The drying blood was now mixing with the slack and shiny running down the side of his armour. </em></em></p><p>
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</p><p>The cut is clean, but it's deeper than Keith hoped and Lance had already lost so much blood. Far too much blood.</p><p>
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</p><p>"Lance, I'm gonna need you to scoot forward." Struggling to drag himself towards Keith, Lance groans. Resting his hands on Keith's shoulder, he's able to steady his weight. </p><p>
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</p><p>"This is gonna hurt." Keith pours rubbing alcohol over the wound. Lance tightens his grip fingernails digging painfully into Keith's shoulders, whimpering. </p><p>
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</p><p>Lance relaxes body leaning forward trying to rest on Keith. "Woah we're not done. I've still got to bandage you."</p><p>
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</p><p> "Shit" Keith whispers, now that he has a clear view of Lance’s cut. </p><p>
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</p><p>Lance giggles, leaning forward. </p><p>
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</p><p>Pulling out the gauze, Keith gives himself a second to breath, before he leans forward and begins wrapping it around Lance. He struggles not to flinch every time he whimpers. </p><p>
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</p><p>"Hurts."</p><p>
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</p><p>"I know, I know. I'm trying my best here."</p><p>
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</p><p>Sticking out his tongue, Keith leans closer to Lance struggling to wrap the gauze around his torso. </p><p>
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</p><p>Lance reaches forward trucking Keith's bang behind his ear. "Purple." </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith frowned, Lance must be more out of it than he thought. "What?" </p><p>
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</p><p>"Your eyes they're purple. Never noticed."</p><p>
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</p><p>Keith tries to calm his heart, that's exhilaratingly like crazy. <em>Focus,<em> he thinks angling himself so that even with Lance leaning on him he can properly wrap the bandages.</em></em></p><p>
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</p><p>Looking up, Keith’s hands stall; Lance is staring at him, eyes wide with fear. </p><p>
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</p><p>"Hey you're gonna be okay. We're almost there. We're on our way to the castle. Okay?"</p><p>
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</p><p>Reaching forward, pain in his face Lance tucks the same strand of hair behind Keith's ear, It must have fallen in front of his face again. Lance cups Keith cheek in his hand running his thumb up his cheekbones. "Pretty," his voice is both fond and assuring, yet soft as if the very thought is painful. </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith stares at Lance struggling to breath. He's delusional. Definitely out of it. Keith goes to pull back but the ship rocks alarms blaring, red lights flashing. <em>Fuck.<em> He thinks as his body slams into the wall. <em>They've been hit.<em></em></em></em></em></p><p>
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</p><p>Lance groans head flopping side to side, eyes half open. Frantically struggling as red teters trying to protect her paladin, Keith stands strapping lance to his chair.</p><p>
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</p><p>"Lance!" His voice is raw and desperate, but he doesn't care, doesn't have the time to. "Keep your eyes open."</p><p>
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</p><p>Another blast rocks the ship and he struggles dragging himself into the pilot seat. </p><p>
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</p><p>"Shit, shit, shit." They’re far enough away that there are only two small galra ships after them, but lance doesn't have any time for delays. </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith puts his bayard into red, turning. Closing his eyes he breathes deeply hoping he can channel his desperation through to her. </p><p>
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</p><p>Opening his eyes, he turns diving between the two ships, hoping to avoid their blasts.</p><p>
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</p><p>A groan comes from his left and he tightens his grip on the wheel. "Sorry." </p><p>
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</p><p>He turns red, slashing the ship with his blade. It falls from the sky, but he's struck from behind by the other. Whipping around he lets red take control hoping her instincts will carry them through. </p><p>
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</p><p>When the ship falls from the sky, Keith let's himself sigh in relief, redirecting the path back to the Castle. </p><p>
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</p><p>Turning, he sees that Lance's eyes are closed. <em>Fuck.<em></em></em></p><p>
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</p><p>He pushes forward full force on the throttle. </p><p>
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</p><p>He can see the castle. He checks Lance over one more time and struggles not to let the hot tears run down his cheeks. There's still a chance, they're almost there. <em>Lance.<em> Lance's gonna be fine.</em></em></p><p>
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</p><p>He lands red in her hangar. As quickly as possible, he unclips himself and runs over to lance. </p><p>
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</p><p>"Lance!" He screams. Nothing. <em>Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.<em> "Lance!!!" </em></em></p><p>
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</p><p>He unclips Lance's seat belt and places his arm underneath Lance's legs and hosts him up into his arms. Lance groans. </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith almost slumps forward under the weight of his relief, Lance is breathing. He's still alive. </p><p>
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</p><p>Tightening his grip Keith starts running. <em>Healing pod.<em> Lance needs a healing pod. </em></em></p><p>
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</p><p>His feet pound, his breath is ragged, but Lance is <em>breathing.<em> He's gonna be fine. He draws lance in closer and he hums nuzzling into his chest.  </em></em></p><p>
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</p><p>Keith struggles to open a pod with one hand, but after several seconds he manages. </p><p>
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</p><p>Lance is gripping his shirt tightly. Keith struggles to pull Lance's hands off, with nothing to hold he whimpers, hands flopping lifelessly to his sides.</p><p>
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</p><p>Gently Keith eases Lance's feet to the floor, using all of his strength to push him into the pod and slam the door. </p><p>
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</p><p>Keith rests his palms against the glass, giving himself a couple seconds to breathe. </p><p>
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</p><p>With the adrenaline leaving his body, he slumps forward in exhaustion. The tears began to fall surprisingly warm against his cheeks. </p><p>
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  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. I hope you'll be okay</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So blue's still on the ship?"</p><p>Keith turns away from Lance's pod to look over at shiro. He pulls at the ends of his jacket. "We didn't have time, Lance told me to leave him, I couldn't."</p><p>"Woah," Shiro lifts both hands palms forward, "that's not what I meant. You did the right thing. I just wanted to make sure."</p><p>Keith nods looking down. "We're going to need a plan to get her back."</p><p>Redirecting his gaze to where Lance is frozen in his pod, Shiro sighs. "We do, but first we should get some sleep. Today was an exhausting day." </p><p>Keith hums, not moving from his post of watching lance. </p><p>"He'll be fine."</p><p>With fear in his eyes, Keith turns to Shiro. "He almost wasn't."</p><p>Shiro places his hand on Keith's shoulder. "I know, but he's okay now. You have your own injuries to worry about. Get some sleep, you need it."</p><p>Shiro turns to leave. </p><p>"Thanks Shiro." Keith's voice is quiet, but heavy with sincerity. </p><p>"Anytime," Shiro turns in the doorway, "And get some sleep." </p><p>Grumbling, Keith places his hands either side of him in the air. "I know, I know. Geez."</p><p>Laughing, Shiro leaves and Keith goes to follow. When Keith reaches the doorway, he places his hand on the wall, turning to Look over his shoulder at Lance.

I hope shiro's right and that you really will be okay.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Back to Reality</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Grunting, Lance falls onto something surprisingly warm. He hears an indignant squeak and then he's being pushed backwards. Struggling against the heavy weight of his lids, Lance opens his eyes. It takes a second for his brain to register anything other than too bright. </p><p>Pidge is standing in front of him dragging her hand across her shoulders as if she could brush off where Lance had touched her. </p><p>Gasping, Lance pushes his hand against the side of his head. "How long was I-"</p><p>"Two weeks." </p><p>"Woah that's-"</p><p>"Longer than usual, yes. You managed to top your last list of injuries, an honestly impressive feat."</p><p>Lance looks down to where his side is still wrapped in bandages that have an old rusty coat of red leaking through, the way tarnish might appear on a forgotten bicycle. "I don't doubt it.” </p><p>Scoffing, Pidge types something onto the medical base next to the pod. “You know that’s not actually the goal right?” </p><p>Lance waves her off. “Yeah I get it. Less time in pods, so you don't have to miss out on my glorious presence."</p><p>"Yeah, glorious that's how I’d describe it."</p><p>Leaning down, Lance rests his forearm on Pidge's shoulder, using his wrist to wave around as he speaks. “Hey don't pretend like you didn't miss me." Grabbing his arm Pidge removes it from her shoulders and drops it between them. She turns away from him, but there's a smile on her lips. </p><p>"I'm gonna call the rest of the team. They'll want to know you're awake and then we can rebandage you." </p><p>She leaves and Lance’s eyes wonder the room as he hums to some unknown tune. </p><p>* * *</p><p>"Lance!" Hunk screams running into the room, arms already outstretched. </p><p>Lance laughs stepping into his hug. </p><p>Wrapping his arms around him, Hunk squeezes Lance’s waist as tightly as a hungry anaconda would wrap around its dinner. Lance squeakes, "Hey watch the merchandise, I'm limited edition."</p><p>Hunk hurriedly puts Lance back on the floor, stepping away. "Sorry. I'm just really glad you're okay."</p><p>"Yeah, I bet life without me gets boring real fast.”  </p><p>* * *</p><p>"So, where's Keith?" Lance turns, looking over Shiro's shoulder to the open doorway.</p><p>"Oh," Shiro rubs the back of his neck. "He's sleeping. He hasn't been sleeping very well lately, so it's probably best not to wake him for a while."</p><p>Lance nods and tries to pretend he isn't disappointed. </p><p>Walking forward, Lance struggles to wrap his arms around both Hunk and Pidge's shoulder. Pidge shrugs his arm off before Lance has to try to figure out how to walk with the awkward height lean. </p><p>"To the kitchen!" Lance shouts theatrically, pointing to the door. "I'm starving, turns out even food goo sounds appealing after not eating for two weeks."</p><p>* * *</p><p>"I'm uh…," Lance clears his throat, placing his bowl in the sink where it clatters against a small pile of dishes, "I'm gonna see if Keith's awake. He probably wants to know if I'm okay or not. He was the one who brought me here."</p><p>Before anyone can reply Lance turns wandering out the door and down the castle’s elaborate hallways, trying to pretend that the silence isn’t creeping up on him the way shadows slowly climb up walls. </p><p>Standing in front of Keith’s door, Lance is struck by an odd off center feeling as if he’d been knocked off balance by some unknown force. He’s never seen Keith’s room before, never even approached his door before. How many months have they been in space and he never even considered…? He shakes his head trying to not think too deeply. Raising his hands to the door, he knocks quickly, hoping to beat the doubt creeping its way up his spine. He waits rocking back and forward toe to heel.</p><p>There's a long groan, before Keith slides the door open. </p><p>"Hey," Lance waves his arm awkwardly through the air, lips quirking upward briefly. What are you supposed to say after almost dying in someone's arms?</p><p>"Lance," Keith's eyes flick over him checking for injuries, "you're awake."</p><p>"Ha fooled you," Lance wiggles his fingers in front of Keith's face, "I'm actually asleep right now, see" he tilts his head to the side closing his eyes and snoring loudly. </p><p>"Okay," Keith's voice brightens, "if you're asleep you won't mind if I shut the door and let you go back to bed." </p><p>He starts pushing the door closed only for Lance's hand to reach out and stop him. He laughs. "Okay, okay, I'm awake now and will be offended if you close the door."</p><p>Before Keith can say anything, Lance shoulders past him and into the room. </p><p>"Sooooo," watching his foot drag across the carpet, Keith clears his throat, "how are you feeling?"</p><p>Lance shrugs, eyes wandering around Keith’s room hoping to learn something, but of course in Keith typical mysterious dark emo boy fashion. Nothing. There’s nothing in his room aside from the castle issued furniture. His walls are bare and the only item on his night stand is a knife. </p><p>"I'm feeling good, try as he might it seems god just can't get rid of me yet, too attached. Who can blame him though?" </p><p>"Yeah," Keith mutters irritatedly, "you're invincible. Nothing can harm perfect, little Lance."</p><p>Lance freezes redrawing his gaze back to Keith who isn’t even looking at him, but at some unknown spot over his shoulder. He thought, hoped, that Keith would be glad to see him. He almost died and Keith's mad at him. Why?</p><p>Hesitantly, Lance takes a step back. “What’s that supposed to mean?” </p><p>Keith sighs heavily as if his very thoughts are some weighty burden, “It’s just you’re not invincible, are you?" Unfolding one of his arms, he waves it around as he talks, "You may think you're some kind of ultimate death defying machine, but you’re not."</p><p>Dropping his other arm, Keith uses it to push lance back by his chest. "Especially if you keep being a stupid fucking idiot that doesn’t think anything they do through.” </p><p>“Woah,” Lance places both hands in front of him, the way someone would to calm a wild horse, “what’s the problem, it worked out in the end?"</p><p>Lance takes a hesitant step forward, as if afraid one wrong move could lead to his demise. "Besides I was protecting you.”</p><p>Shoulders tense, Keith turns sideways so he no longer has to face Lance. “Well maybe I don’t need you protecting me, and maybe it did work out this time."</p><p>Whipping around fire in his eyes, Keith raises his hand pointing threateningly at Lance. "But don’t come crying to me when it doesn’t, because of the next inevitable fuck up you make. Oh that’s right you wont be able to,"</p><p>Keith puts his finger against Lance's chest, pushing, "because you’ll be fucking <em>dead</em>.” </p><p>Lance raises his hand protectively over his chest grasping it with his other, as if he could block off the pain flying at his heart. “Did I miss something? I know I was in there for a while, did something happen?” </p><p>Gritting his teeth, Keith draws his arms inward recrossing them over his chest. “You’re an <em>idiot</em>.” </p><p>“Seriously, what happened? I know we have this whole,” Lance gestures clumsily between them, “rivalry thing going on, but I still thought you would at least care about the fact that I almost <em>died</em>.” </p><p>“Yeah, you almost did <em>die</em>, Lance. Just like," With frustration, Keith throws his arms in the air, “oh last month and the one before that and oh the one before that."</p><p>Deflating, shoulders slumping forward, Keith struggles to keep the fury louder than the pain. "This keeps happening Lance, so don’t expect me to just keep encouraging you everytime it doesn’t stick.” </p><p>“I'm gonna,” Lance struggles to speak around the tears trying desperately to climb out of his throat, “go um check and make sure that my uh... you know... the injuries are recovering correctly.”</p><p>Keith only glares in response. </p><p>Pointing his thumb over his shoulder, Lance takes several hurried steps backwards. “So yeah I'm uh... gonna go do that..now.” Turning, he walks as fast he can feet thumping on the floor and echoing in his head.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Keith is not a morning person</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Soooo," Lance drawls, "did I miss anything interesting? I know I'm the most interesting thing here, but something else must have happened while I was gone."</p>
<p>Hunk slides into the seat next to him plopping a bowl of food goo on the table, before resting his elbows on the surface. "No, not really. Not unless you count Pidge kidnapping another random alien robot she found?"</p>
<p>Lance tries not to show his disappointment. <em>Why was Keith being so weird?</em></p>
<p><em><em>"</em></em>Everything's the same as normal then, while as normal as life can be without me." Lance jokes, but it's obvious that his mind is elsewhere.</p>
<p>"Lance," Shiro calls from the other end of the table.</p>
<p>Hmmm, Lance hums in acknowledgement, but he doesn't turn his head away from his bowl.</p>
<p>"How's your recovery?"</p>
<p>"Good. Allura says that there's no permanent damage other than the cool scar." Lance smiles, tilted lips reminiscent of a smirk, "I've always wanted a badass battle scar."</p>
<p>"Yay," Keith says, tone dark and bitter like a cup of cold coffee, "nothing worth celebrating quite like injuries."</p>
<p>Lance turns to glare at Keith. <em>Seriously, what is his deal? </em></p>
<p>Sighing, Lance decides to bite the bullet. "What's your problem?"</p>
<p>Keith stares at his spoon dragging out patterns through the goo. "Nothing, I don't have one."</p>
<p>"Clearly you do. You've been nothing but angry since I woke up." Lance waves his arms around him in frustration. "So just tell me what your problem is."</p>
<p>"Okay fine." Keith lowers his spoon where it clatters on the edge of his bowl. Lifting his gaze to Lance's, his expression hardness, eyebrow furring, lips tightening. "You really want to know why I'm angry?"</p>
<p>Lance scoffs, rolling his eyes. "Yeah. That's why I asked."</p>
<p>Pushing his chair out where it drags squeaking along the floor, Keith slams his palms on the table. "It's you and your dumb decisions."</p>
<p>"<em>Wow</em>. Thank you for being honest Keith. Really appreciate it.”</p>
<p>Sighing, Keith rests his weight on his palms. "You're the one who asked me to be."</p>
<p>Lance stands kicking his chair behind him. "Oh it is on."</p>
<p>Reaching across the table, Lance tries to grab at Keith.</p>
<p>"Lance. Keith. Stop!" Shiro screams.</p>
<p>Reluctantly, Lance pulls his arms back to his side.</p>
<p>When shiro pulls out his chair to sit back down. Lance lunges across the table trying to bat at Keith the way a cat flaps in someone's arms.</p>
<p>"Enough." Shiro stands walking towards Lance, who quickly deflates flopping back onto his chair with an exaggerated huff.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lance sighs dramatically falling onto the couch, legs landing sideways on top of Hunk’s. Hunk doesn't respond, continuing to type. Peeking through his fingertips, Lance huffs louder.</p>
<p>Resting his hands on the weird alien technology, Lance doesn’t even try to pretend to understand, Hunk turns to face Lance.</p>
<p>"Finally."</p>
<p>Pushing the device across the table, Hunk turns to face Lance. "What's bothering you?"</p>
<p>"Keith."</p>
<p>Hunk rolls his eyes. "Should've known. What happened this time?”</p>
<p>Pouting, Lance lets his arm fall off the side of the couch, but he doesn’t respond.</p>
<p>In a softer tone, worry slipping through his voice, the way it always does with Hunk he rubs his hand along Lance’s calves, slow and comforting. “Why were you guys fighting this morning?"</p>
<p>Lance sighs. "It's just Keith, he's being an asshole."</p>
<p>"Okay," Hunk says, prompting Lance to continue.</p>
<p>"I know it's like an integral part of his personality to be all rough and stoic, the loner with the depressing backstory who doesn’t let himself have feelings," Lance deflates like a popped balloon leaking helium, head dragging down the arm rest of the couch. "but he's not normally mean on purpose."</p>
<p>Re-adjusting Lance's legs, Hunk turns so that he can face Lance directly. "Well, what happened?"</p>
<p>"He yelled at me, basically saying that I was a stupid fucking idiot that couldn't be trusted to make my own decisions." Lance waves his hands around wide and frantic enough to almost hit himself in the face.</p>
<p>"Can you believe that? I almost died and here he is being unnecessarily mean." Lance crosses his arms pouting like a four year old told they can't have their favourite candy.</p>
<p>"I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding. You'll figure it out just like you always do." Patting Lance’s calf, Hunk’s voice is warm and reassuring.</p>
<p>"You don't understand," Lance slumps backwards the weight his anger brought him falling from his limbs. His arm dangles off the side of the couch and the real pain shows in his eyes, "it's like he doesn't even care about me. I know we're not the closest I just thought that maybe…," Lance sighs long and slow, "he would be glad to see me is all."</p>
<p>Planting Lance's legs to the floor, Hunk wraps his arms around Lance's waist pulling him into his side. "Lance, he does care about you. I mean he was pretty upset when you were in the pod. Shiro had to drag him away to get sleep a couple of times. He was really worried about you."</p>
<p>Throwing his hands in the air, Lance lets his frustration carry into his voice. "If he was so worried about me why is he being such an asshole?”</p>
<p>Hunk shrugs and there's a still uncertainty it carries through the air. "I don't know. I think that's something you have to ask him yourself."</p>
<p>Picking at the breaking skin around his fingertips, Lance can’t help but feel powerless. "That's the thing he won't talk to me."</p>
<p>Hunk sighs. "You should still try, Keith can be pretty stubborn. It might take some time, but that doesn’t mean you should stop trying."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. I'm not mad at you, not really</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Keith swings his sword, forcing all of his strength, his furry, his frustration into the movement. Missing the bot, he bites his lip to keep from screaming in frustration.</p><p>"I know the goal is to beat the bot, but it kind of still has to be in more than one piece so that we can keep fighting it." Keith groans loudly, swinging his sword even harder.</p><p>"Wow okay, remind me to never get on your bad side.” Lance steps closer, before pausing and bringing his hand to his chin as if in thoughtful ponder. “Oh wait I already am, I just can't figure out <em>why.<em>"</em></em></p><p>Keith lowers his sword, letting the weight in his shoulders drop. "You're not on my bad side."</p><p>"Well hate to break it to you mullet man, I know you're a desert country loner or whatever, but that's not how you treat your friends."</p><p>Breathing deeply Keith raises his sword struggling to block the bot’s strike. "Why are you here?"</p><p>Lance’s voice softens, as he draws himself inward, arm held protectively over his chest, as if he were a fragile glass sculpture scared that the wrong move could shatter him. “To find out why you're mad at me. I know we've had issues,..”</p><p>Attempting to keep the breaking from his voice, Lance lifts his tone but it doesn’t carry through and his word comes out an odd uncanny mixture of false cheer and pain. “But I thought that we were at least above you could literally die and I wouldn't care."</p><p>Keith jabs, the side of the bot leaving a slash along its side. "Of course I'd care whether or not you<em> died</em>, idiot."</p><p>Seething, Lance curls his fingers into his palm where they leave a dull and stinging ache."Stop avoiding the question and just tell me why you're mad at me."</p><p><em>"I'm not mad at you!!!"</em> Keith screams, stepping forward, swinging his sword down in an arcing motion barely missing the bot's shoulder. Huffing in frustration, he takes several small steps backwards. Raising his sword again bracing it in front of him, he stabs the bot in the chest, one, two, three times before it falls over with an empty echoing clatter. Keith’s shoulders sag forward, and he struggles not to let his legs buckle and collapse.</p><p>"Yeah you're definitely not mad. Perfect picture of mental stability right now."</p><p>Keith turns and the sword still in his hands swings with him.</p><p>"Woah," Lance places his hands beside him in the air the way one might surrender in a duel, "if your wish was that I had died you could've just told me."</p><p>Keith grits his teeth. "How many times. I didn't... don't wish you were dead... would die,” he waves his hands in frustration, “whatever."</p><p>"Then tell me why the fuck you're mad at me!” Digging his fingers deeper into his palm, Lance struggles to keep the pain out of his dying voice. “Granted I probably deserve it, but I can't fix it if you don't tell me."</p><p>"You don't deserve it I'm just…" Keith grabs his arm drawing it across chest as if he could hide himself behind it.</p><p>"What just being an asshole for no reason? At least tell me what I did."</p><p>Letting the tension fall from his shoulders, Keith sighs long and slow. "Just think before you act sometimes. Okay? I don't want you getting hurt."</p><p>Before anymore can be said, Keith walks past Lance pushing his shoulder as he goes by. Confused, Lance stands frozen staring at the broken bot in front of him.</p><p>Reaching the doorway, Keith pauses resting his hand against the wall, he turns to look over his shoulder. "And Lance I'm glad you're alive even if you do make me want to strangle you sometimes."</p><p>"Then act like it." Lance says like it's a joke, but that there's a threatening sincerity behind it.</p><p> </p><p>* * *</p><p> </p><p>"I think we're getting better," Lance picks at his nails, "but he still won't tell me why he's mad at me. And it's like I want to help, but I can't if I don't know what I did."</p><p>"Lance," Pidge conjoles, "I think he's mad,<em> because</em> you almost got yourself killed. He really cares about you even if he's not willing to admit it."</p><p>Hunk nods. "I think you just have to keep trying."</p><p>Sighing, Lance looks out the window and into the empty void of space. "I just thought we’d made progress, that we weren't exactly rivals anymore. I thought that he at least didn't <em>hate</em> me." Lance pulls at the ends of jacket.</p><p>"I," he clears his throat, turning to wrap his arms around Hunk. "I don't want him to hate me." He says voice muffling into Hunk’s shoulder</p><p>Hunk pats Lance's back comfortingly. "He doesn't."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Maybe it's because I care about you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Honestly writing Lance's lines is the most fun I've ever had writing. I love my overdramatic boi.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>You can do this,</em> he thinks resting his hand on Keith's door.<em>It's not going to be like last time. You're going to get him to talk to you and you are going to solve this, because if Keith can be stubborn, so can you.</em></p><p>Breathing deeply, Lance squeezes his eyes shut and knocks.</p><p>"Who is it?" The voice is harsh and bitter, and Lance wonders if this is really a good idea.</p><p>"Uh… Lance."</p><p>"Go away, I don't want to talk to you right now."</p><p>Leaning forward, Lance rests his forehead against the door. "Well when do you want to talk?” Because I'm not going to let you ignore this until everything blows up and becomes even worse."</p><p>"Lance I-"</p><p>"No, I can be stubborn too. Okay? So if you won't talk to me I won't leave.” Turning, Lance rests his back against Keith’s door. “I'll stay here leaning on your stupid door until you let me in."</p><p>Keith huffs, crossing his arms despite knowing Lance can’t see him. "Lance you're being ridiculous."</p><p>"Maybe I am but, so are you, so I'm not leaving." Lance tilts his chin up the way a prince might to prove their seniority.</p><p>"Lance, how long are you planning on doing this?” Keith sounds tired and Lance thinks there’s a hint of fond concern in his voice, but he can’t be certain. “You can't stay out there forever."</p><p>"However long it takes. Besides it's not like you can stay<em> in</em> there forever."</p><p>Turning, to face the wall Keith rests the back of his head against his door. "Lance I don't want to talk to you about this. Not right now."</p><p>"That's bullshit.” Turning, Lance let’s his arms rest heavy against his sides. “I know you. Okay?" Raising his hand, he smacks it against the door, but there's no real force behind the motion. "You never want to talk, you'll just let this drag on until one of us inevitably dies." He waves his hands around, despite knowing Keith can’t see them.</p><p>Palm flat, Keith hits the door. "Lance, give up I'm not talking to you."</p><p>"You're talking to me right now."</p><p>Sighing, Keith whispers to himself. "I'm going to regret this aren't I."</p><p>There's shuffling on the other side, before the door is swung open. Lance begins to fall arms windmilling around him, barely stopping himself from smacking Keith in the chest.</p><p>Keith is leaning, shoulder against the doorframe arms crossed. He raises one eyebrow at Lance unimpressed.</p><p>Sighing slow and powerful as if gearing up for some terrifying experience, Keith uncrosses his arms and pushes himself away from the doorframe. "Come on let's get this over with."</p><p>Turning, Keith walks over to his bed, sitting halfway off the edge, shoulders tight, back straight.</p><p>Lance doesn’t move, continuing to stare at where Keith once was.</p><p>Leaning forward, Keith sharpens his gaze. "Come on, before I change my mind and throw you back out."</p><p>Shuffling his feet Lance sits by Keith, bouncing on his mattress, shifting from side to side, before he stills.</p><p>“Comfy?”</p><p>Lance glares at Keith, who sighs exasperatedly. "What are you so desperate to talk about?"</p><p>"Don't act like you don't know."</p><p>Keith rubs his thumb into his palm, repetitively. "I already told you I'm not mad at you. You didn't do anything you have to apologize for."</p><p>"Come on. Do you honestly think I'm that stupid?"</p><p>Waving his hands as he talks, Keith's voice is frustrated and desperate. "While it's the truth."</p><p>"Okay if you’re," Lance raises his hands creating air quotes, "not mad at me." He drops his hands back into his lap, where they twitch and fidget, rubbing over themselves desperate for something to cling to. “Then what is it you are mad about?"</p><p>Keith deflates like a popped balloon, shoulders slumping so he can rest his elbows on his knees."I'm not mad about anything. <em>Okay?" </em></p><p>"Yeah, you're the perfect picture of calm."</p><p>Turning away from Keith, Lance stares at his empty walls. "I know I can be annoying and loud, and I know that we don't exactly get along all the time, but I thought that we…,” Rubbing the back of his neck, Lance turns to face Keith, struggling under the sharpness of his gaze. “While I thought that we were starting to become <em>friends</em>.”</p><p>Lance drops his hands into his lap, where they rest disturbingly still, "But I guess I just don't know you as well as I thought I did."</p><p>"It's not…," Keith's face contorts, scrunching, wrinkling, tightening as if he's in physical pain, "It's not that I hate you…I didn’t… don't want to hurt you."</p><p>Sighing, Keith’s voice grows quieter as if he’s scared to speak, scared that once the thought is said aloud it will crumble and break too weak too have been anything other than imagination. “And I also kind of thought that we were becoming <em>friends</em>."</p><p>“Soooooo,” Lance trails of letting his vulnerability lead his thoughts, “If we are,” He lifts his hands from his lap waving them clumsily through the air, “friends of sorts, why are you acting like I stabbed your family?”</p><p>Silence spreads slow and deadly like a noxious gas.</p><p>Lance lets himself break and crumble under the weight of his insecurities, shoulders slumping, hands falling, voice shaking. “If you really do care in your own weird Keithy way, why are you acting like this? Because to me it feels like, you <em>don’t</em> care about me, not really. I almost died and it was terrifying and you just… you brushed me off and that really <em>hurt</em>."</p><p>“Lance,” Keith starts reaching out to him, hand hovering uncertainly in the thick air. “It's not that I don’t…,”</p><p>Drawing his arm back towards himself, Keith drags it down his face. “I’m sorry, I didn't want you to think I didn’t care about you. Of course I do you’re <em>Lance</em>. I just…” Keith draws his arms around himself, as if he could block off the pain of knowing he’d hurt him.</p><p>Leaning forward, elbow on his knee, Lance looks up at Keith’s ducked chin, hair falling over his eyes obscuring his view, as if he didn’t look he could pretend it wasn’t happening. “Just what?”</p><p>Snapping his head upward Keith turns to face Lance, gaze sharp and powerful, lips tight, body slumped heavily in a confusing mixture of anger, pain, sadness and worry. “I’m <em>scared</em> okay, because this isn’t the first time this has happened it's like you don’t think before you act, like you don’t care what happens to you. What do you have some kind of death wish?”</p><p>Lance doesn’t say anything and the silence grows, surprisingly heavy and suffocating like vines around a newborn tree.</p><p>“Lance?”</p><p>Rubbing his hands up and down his legs, fingers digging into his flesh with every drag, Lance struggles to organise his thoughts. “I’m not doing it on purpose. Okay? I just react. I don’t want you, the team, anyone to get hurt. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you guys and I knew there was a way I could have stopped it.”</p><p>“That’s the thing Lance if you keep acting like this you won't have to live at all.” Keith lifts his hands from his lap, dragging them haphazardly through the air. “Is that what you <em>want</em>? Are you just waiting for some twisted opportunity?”</p><p>Turning to stare at the carpet with unfocused eyes, Lance tugs desperately at the ends of jacket. His voice is strong and sturdy and it sounds like the calm before the storm. “I’m not looking. It's just how could<em> I </em>decide that my life was worth more than others?”</p><p>Lance turns to Keith with unshed tears gathering in the corner of his eyes. He bits his lip struggling to keep it from wobbling. “I know that if it came down to it that it's better if it's me than anyone else. You could learn to get by without me, you could find somebody else to pilot the blue lion. But the team, you, you’re indispensable.”</p><p>“Lance,” Keith places his hand on top of Lance’s in a way he hopes is comforting, “you don’t get to make that choice. You don’t get to decide how much you're worth to others, to me. Okay? Because even if we could find somebody else to pilot the blue lion, they wouldn’t be like you. You’re just so <em>Lance</em>.”</p><p>“Thank you. I always thought I had perfected the art of being Lance.” Lance jokes, raising one of his hands to rub under his eyes. Keith can’t help, but be thankful that his tone has lightened and despite the puffiness of his eyes, there’s a start of a real smile forming in their corners.</p><p>Bumping his shoulder into Lance’s playfully, Keith rolls his eyes. “I’m serious.”</p><p>Keith turns to his side, so he can face Lance directly. “You're not expendable. Okay? You’re what holds this team together.”</p><p>Blushing lightly, Keith turns away from Lance's hopeful gaze. “You’re our sharpshooter.”</p><p>“You're the one that goes around and checks on everybody. You’re the only person that can pull Pidge away from her computer long enough to get her to eat. You're the only one that's able to remind Hunk that sometimes he has to take care of himself too. You're the only person that's...”</p><p>Keith’s voice softens, becoming barely louder than a whisper. “Been able to make me laugh when I’m upset. The only person that's ever begun to truly <em>understand</em> me."</p><p>Keith places his hands onto Lance's, where it rests on his thigh, looking him in the eye, hoping his message gets through to him. "You’re unexpendable. Okay? Voltron, the team, hell even I need you.”</p><p>“Sooooooo,” Keith smacks Lance in the back of the head, causing him to jump several inches off the bed, yelping.</p><p>“Owwww what was that for assho-”</p><p>Pointing his finger in front of Lance’s face, Keith hopes his voice carries through like a threat. “You can’t keep doing this, I can’t deal with this. Okay? I don’t know how to handle it when you get hurt. When you were stabbed and I had to carry I was freaking out. It was honestly one of the scariest moments of my life. I thought that I was going to lose you. I can’t…” Keith trails off struggling to keep his words flowing past the lump in his throat.</p><p>“I don’t know what I would do with myself if you… if you.”</p><p>Keith’s voice is faint, barely drifting through the air. “I wouldn’t be able to live without you.”</p><p>Lance stares up at him with wide, hopeful eyes that remind him of a puppy waiting for praise. "So just please for my own god damn sake think before you throw yourself into danger sometimes. I really don’t want to have to live through that again."</p><p>Now or never, he thinks. "I want you to be safe, because I-"</p><p>Keith breaths shakily, <em>What was he thinking? He can't say that and Lance is staring at him expectantly and he can't say nothing. </em></p><p>"You what?" Lance scoots closer to Keith so that their knees knock together.</p><p>Closing his eyes, Keith breathes deeply. "I freaked out when you got hurt, because<em> I like you</em>."</p><p>Nothing.</p><p>Desperate for a reaction, Keith slowly peaks one eye open to look over at Lance, who looks confused and panicked, as if he was caught thinking something he knows he shouldn't be thinking. </p><p>"Well who wouldn't? I'm a joy to behold." Lance's voice is tight, and he sounds shaken.</p><p>Keith turns to him, eyes fierce. "I'm serious."</p><p>"Oh." Lance's voice is breathless before his face lights up and he leans closer to Keith resting his hand on Keith's leg.</p><p>"Keith buddy, babbbby-"</p><p>Groaning Keith buries his head in his hands. "I'm going to regret telling you that aren't I?"</p><p>Lance waves his hand dismissively, ignoring keith. "Are you saying that you were upset, because you have a <em>crussssssssh</em> on me?"</p><p>Lifting his head from his hands, Keith glares at Lance. "Can you stop teasing me?"</p><p>Resting two fingers on Keith's leg, Lance makes them walk up from his knee to his thigh. "Who said I was joking?"</p><p>Keith smackes Lance's hand away. "Come on Lance, knock it off."</p><p>Leaning over towards Keith, Lance whispers into his ear, voice breathy and with startling sincerity. “I think I understand now. I don’t think I’d be able to live with myself if you were to get hurt.”</p><p>Lance leans back to face Keith, whose face is almost as red as his jacket, eyes wide with confusion. "Wha-what?"</p><p>Breathing a short soft sigh, Lance leans forward cupping Keith's jaw in his hand using his thumb to run circles along his cheekbones. <em>"I like you too." </em></p><p>Smirking, at the surprise in Keith's eyes, Lance draws Keith closer until their noses touch. Breathing deeply and closing his eyes, Lance tilts his head, bringing his lips to Keith's.</p><p>At first Keith doesn't respond frozen by shock. Slowly, hesitantly, almost shyly, he kisses back. Lance can't help but smile wide enough he breaks the contact.</p><p>Pulling back slowly, resting his weight onto his elbows, Lance stares up at Keith. Because he can. He doesn’t have to count the seconds, or worry about getting caught.</p><p>Lifting his hand Lance rubs his fingers through the hairs that run past Keith's neck. "You're beautiful."</p><p>Keith's face flushes and he goes to duck his head.</p><p><em>Keith blushing.</em> Lance is going to have to remember this. What Keith looks like with red dusted across his cheeks and onto the tips of his ears. Now that he knows he has this power, oh the things he would do to make Keith blush.</p><p>Pulling his hand back, Lance shrugs. "Not as beautiful as me, though I suppose we can't all be this perfect." He gestures down at himself.</p><p>Keith punches Lance in the arm not hard enough to hurt, but enough to startle.</p><p>Grabbing the sore spot with his other hand, Lance rubs calming circles into his skin. “Oww”</p><p>Seeking revenge, Lance leans against Keith's side, getting his face obnoxiously closer to his. "Shut up. You <em>liiiiiiiiike</em> me."</p><p>Placing the palm of his hand against Lance's face, Keith pushes him away causing him to laugh.</p><p>Keith groans, despite the smile growing on his face. "Yep. Already regretting this."</p><p>Pointing his finger at Keith accusatorily, Lance smiles wide and bright. "You're <em>smiling</em>. Did I make the ever stoic Keith <em>smile</em>?"</p><p>"I'm not smiling." Keith says, voice distorted by trying to pull his face into an unnatural frown and failing.</p><p>Lance waves his finger in front of Keith's face as if telling off a naughty child. "You can't lie to me, you never smile."</p><p>"I'm not smiling." Keith's voice pitches unnaturally low, as he struggles to keep his lips from twitching upward."</p><p>Leaning forward, right up into Keith's face close enough that Keith gets distracted staring into his bright blue eyes, Lance smirks. "You can't cause you <em>liiiiiiiiike</em> me."</p><p>Groaning, Keith turns his face away from Lance's. "Why are you like this?"</p><p>"Hey," Lance lightly hits Keith's shoulder, "you knew what you were getting into."</p><p>Rolling his eyes, Keith doesn't try to stop his smile. "Yeah I guess I did."</p><p>Lance flops back onto Keith's bed, arms crossed behind his head. "At least I didn't forget that bonding moment." Unfolding his arms to rest his weight onto one of his elbows, Lance leans forward waving his other hand around as his eyes light up. "About that how come it's always you that gets to be the Knight in shining armour. Next time I'm carrying you around in <em>my arms</em>."</p><p>"No. Don't you dare.” Keith points his finger in Lance's face threateningly.</p><p>Lance laughs, bright and airy. "Now I've got to do it."</p><p>Groaning, Keith drops his head into his hands.</p><p>"Once it is written it must be fulfilled." Standing from the bed, Lance turns gesturing upward with his arms. "Come on, up."</p><p>Keith peaks through his fingers, sighing exasperatedly. "I am not standing up just so you can drop me."</p><p>"Come on you pick me up and I've got massive guns." Keith scoffs</p><p>"Well maybe not massive, but I am pretty." Resting his fists below his chin, Lance winks at Keith.</p><p>Keith shoots him a disinterested look.</p><p>Groaning, Lance plants his feet on the ground, grabbing Keith’s wrist and pulling on his arm the way a toddler might to drag his mother over to the swings. "It never seems to be that hard for you."</p><p>"I don't know carrying you is hard, your ass is bigger than you think."</p><p>"Why thank you," Releasing Keith from his grip, Lance bows. While standing up he winks exaggeratedly at Keith. "But it's still not as big as yours."</p><p>"Lance!" Keith says chastisingly.</p><p>Sighing long, low and slow, Keith let's his shoulders slump forward. "You're not going to leave me alone are you?"</p><p>"Nope." Lance rocks back and forward on his toes.</p><p>"Please come on," Lance extends his hand to Keith, "for me."</p><p>Grabbing Lance's hand, he lets himself be begrudgingly pulled from the bed.</p><p>Dropping their hands, Lance steps backwards, staring at Keith as if he were some convoluted mind trick. "Okay, so like how do I do this?"</p><p>Keith rolls his eyes.</p><p>"Okay, so like I'll just-" Lance wraps his arms around Keith's middle, widening his stance. He breathes deeply in preparation.</p><p>"You doing okay down there?"</p><p>Lance glares up at him. Tightening his grip he rises upwards, only Keith doesn't move with him, staying rooted to his spot.</p><p>"Fuck." Lance steps backwards panting."How do you do that?"</p><p>"Okay if you don't know can I-"</p><p>Lance places his finger over Keith's lips. "Nope. You will not best me so easily sir."</p><p>Keith rolls his eyes.</p><p>Resituating his footing, Lance wraps his arms around Keith and focuses all his strength on lifting him upward. He manages to lift Keith, who hovers several inches off the floor.</p><p>"Yeah!" He screams, whipping an arm in the air, subsequently allowing Keith to slide out of his arms and clumsily back to the floor.</p><p>Taking several steps backwards Lance pants, resting his hands on his knees. "That is harder than it looks."</p><p>"It's really not." Keith leans down wrapping his arms around Lance's middle, throwing Lance over his shoulder.</p><p>“Keith!” Lance calls voice breathless with laughter.</p><p>“What? Did somebody say something.”</p><p>“Keith seriously put me down,” Lance batts at Keith’s back weakly with his fists, as he shakes with laughter.</p><p>“Huh? I thought I heard something,” Keith turns in a circle looking over the opposite shoulder than Lance is on. “But I can’t see anybody, so It must have been nothing.”</p><p>“<em>Keeeeeeeeif</em>” Lance groans.</p><p>“Yes?” Keith’s voice is smug, and Lance can imagine the smirk that’s growing on his face.</p><p>“Can you put me down?”</p><p>“I don’t know. I was kind of trying to prove a point.”</p><p>Lance stops his movements, letting his arms fall pointing to the ground. "Fine, you win."</p><p>"Huh?" Keith lifts his unoccupied hand to his ear cupping around it."What was that?"</p><p>"Keith seriously can you put me down now?" Lance struggles to annunciate through his labored breaths. "The blood is rushing to my head and my mom used to tell me that that could make your head explode and what would you do with your life if you couldn’t look at my beautiful face."</p><p>"Hmmm," Keith strokes his chin as if in deep ponder, "I don’t know carrying you isn’t really that hard."</p><p>"Keith." Lance groans in defeat. "Fine. You won. I guess you're stronger than me, but you have to admit that I’m the pretty one."</p><p>Keith flips Lance, so that he’s cradled in his arms bridal style, head resting against his chest.</p><p>“Yeah." Keith's voice is breathless and warm, “I guess you are.”</p><p>“I’m what?" Screamed Lance unnaturally loud, like an old man who lost his hearing aid.</p><p>Keith groans, shaking his head. "Nope not gonna say it, you can’t make me."</p><p>"Wanna bet?"</p><p>Quirking an eyebrow, Keith stares down at Lance "I’m the one holding you. What could you possibly have on me?"</p><p>"This." Lance proclaims with a shit eating grin, as he lets all the energy drain from his body forcing Keith to carry his full weight.</p><p>“Fuck.” Keith whispers struggling to pull Lance back up to his chest. “Don’t do that again."</p><p>"Then say it." Lance lifts his hand using it to bop Keith on the nose.</p><p>"Fine," Keith huffs, but his voice is soft with hidden laughter, "you're pretty. There do you promise not to be a little shit now?"</p><p>"Hmmmm" Lance hums, "Nope that wasn’t part of the deal."</p><p>Keith rolls his eyes. "Okay, have I proved my point. Can I put you down now?"</p><p>Lance lifts his hands wrapping them around Keith’s neck. "Nope."</p><p>"What? I thought this whole thing was about you wanting to prove you were just as strong as me."</p><p>Lance shrugs, shifting in Keith’s arms. "I’ve decided it’s not so bad." He stares up at Keith through the edges of his eyelashes. Leaning upward, Lance whispers breath hot against Keith’s lips. "Don’t cha think?”</p><p>Closing his eyes Keith presses his lips briefly against Lance's.</p><p>Pulling away, Keith shakes his head side to side. "Nope you’re heavy." He lowers Lance who jumps out of his arms and lets himself flop back onto the bed.</p><p>Keith sits down besides Lance.</p><p>“Okay,” Lance turns towards Keith pointing at him, “I may not be able to pick you up now, but mark my words I will be able to one day.”</p><p>Rolling his eyes, Keith laughs light and easy. “Sure you will, <em>lover boy</em>.”</p><p>“Was that a laugh? Are you laughing? Did Keith Kogane just laugh at something that wasn’t even someone else’s pain?" Lance brushes invisible dirt off his shoulder, leaning on his palm to get closer to Keith, “Wow. I must be good.”</p><p>"It's getting late, don’t you have a room to get back to?" Keith throws though there's no real heat behind it.</p><p>"Nope." Lance wraps his arm around Keith’s shoulder, pressing his chest up against Keith’s back and resting his head in the crock of Keith’s neck. "You're stuck with me and you can't even complain about it because you <em>liiiiiiiiike</em> me."</p><p>Keith rolls his eyes, but there's a smile on his lips.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. I feel fucking fantastic</h2></a>
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    <p>Resting his elbow on the bed, Lance leans down head in palm to stare at Keith.</p><p>"Keeeeeeef, babbbbbby." Lance sing-songs, nuzzling his nose against Keith's, who scrunches his face up in annoyance, eyes squeezed shut.</p><p>Lance presses a short peck on Keith's cheek and then one on the other.</p><p>Groaning, Keith slowly blinks his eyes open. <em>"Wha-"</em> His voice is deep and gravelly and Lance's chest throbs. This is what Keith looks like when he first wakes up, hair splayed on the pillows and sticking to his face in all directions, purple eyes groggy and unfocused. This is what his first words of the day sound like, morning voice rumbling deep and raspy sending chills down Lance’s spine. And Lance can’t believe that he gets to be here experiencing whatever the frick this is and whatever the frick they are.</p><p>Humming, Lance goes back to leaving little kisses along Keith's face.</p><p>"Lance, stop." Keith giggles, squirming powerlessly in Lance's arms.</p><p>Freezing, Lance stares down at Keith, a slow languid smile pulling up his lips. "Never." He whispers, going back to leaving little pecks on his cheeks and up around the curve of his hairline.</p><p>Keith laughs, batting at Lance’s chest. "Okay, stop. I'm up.”</p><p>“Fine,” Lance sighs leaning backwards.</p><p>“Sike!” He screams, darting forward to leave a short peak on Keith's lips. Laughing softly, Keith wraps his arm around Lance’s neck pulling him back down. Lance humms against his lips, before pulling back simply to look at Keith.</p><p>“Isn't this nice?”</p><p>Keith humms thoughtful, as if pondering some moral debate. “I'm not so sure you kick.”</p><p>“Hey,” Lance points his finger directly in front of Keith’s face, “I warned you about that. Besides you stole all the covers. You, sir,” Lance places his finger onto Keith’s chest pushing lightly, “are a blanket thief.”</p><p>“While you drool.”</p><p>Lance gasps placing his hand over his heart, dramatical as if he’d been wounded in some kind of battle, “I do <em>not</em>.”</p><p>
  <em>“Do to.”</em>
</p><p>Looking up at Keith, Lance sticks out his tongue humming around it. “While you snore. I had to roll you over twice.”</p><p>“While you’re - you’re” Keith stares up at Lance’s exaggerated pouting face, struggling to form coherent thoughts.</p><p>“Oh, run out of bad things to say about me already, that’s very<em> unkeithy</em> of you.”</p><p>“Well, you're clingy.”</p><p>Lance leans down, face close to Keith’s, whispering softly into the air between them. “Then stop hugging me.”</p><p>Groaning, Keith tightens his arm around Lance’s waist pushing him further against him. Falling forward, Lance’s face is squished against Keith’s chest, he laughs light and airy.</p><p>"<em>God</em>, I love this." Pulling his head up, Lance rests on his elbows staring at Keith.</p><p>Looking up at Lance, Keith drags his fingers through the short hairs at the base of his neck. Pulling him downward, Keith kisses him short and sweet. Lance hums against his lips, leaning closer. "I could get used to this."</p><p>Pulling backwards slowly, Lance bops Keith on the nose, who scrunches up his face, nose wrinkling adorably.</p><p>"What time is it?"</p><p>Groaning, Lance lets his head flop forward resting on Keith's chest, where his voice becomes muffled and distant. "Don't want to think about that yet." Nuzzling his chest, he whispers. "Want to stay here."</p><p>Keith runs his hand up and down Lance’s back, slow and comforting. "If we're late to team training Allura's gonna flip."</p><p>"Don't care. <em>Warm.</em>"</p><p>Laughing, Keith pulls backward, staring incredulously at Lance. "Are you saying that you don't care what <em>Allura</em> thinks?"</p><p>Lance tightens his arms around Keith instead of answering, nuzzling his face into his chest.</p><p>"<em>Wow</em>. You must really like me, giving up on Allura. Didn't think that was possible?”</p><p>Placing his finger on Keith’s lips, Lance glares up at him. "<em>Shhhhh,</em> too early."</p><p>"You're the one that woke me up."</p><p>Lance shrugs, shoulders dragging along Keith’s chest "Semantics."</p><p>"That's a big word for so early in the morning."</p><p>Lance hits him palm flat against his chest. "Pidge isn't the only one that gets to know big words."</p><p>Laughing, Keith leans back against his pillow. "I was just saying if you're awake enough to use words like <em>semantics</em> you're awake enough to get out of bed."</p><p>Groaning, Lance shuts his eyes leaning against Keith’s chest. "Why do you want me to get out of bed?" Lifting his head up to look at Keith, Lance wiggles his eyebrows. "Getting sick of me already?"</p><p>Keith rolls his eyes. "Food."</p><p>"Fine.” Lance sighs short and defeated, pushing himself up onto his elbows. “you've convinced me, but it's gonna cost you."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Not moving till I get what I want." Lance declares lifting his arm from the bed and flopping his weight back onto Keith.</p><p>Groaning Keith's tone is somewhere between fond and frustrated, its natural state with Lance. "What is it you want?"</p><p>Leaning forward closer to Keith, Lance drags his fingers through the silky hair that falls past his chin. "What do you think?" He whispers before leaning down to press his lips to Keith’s. He kisses slow and languid. Pulling back slowly, reluctantly, Lance leaves shorter and shorter peaks, unwilling to let the moment fade.</p><p>Lance pushes himself up onto his palms, Keith reaches forward trying to grasp him before he moves out of reach, but he’s too slow and his arm flops heavily back to the mattress. He whines deep and throaty like a cat deprived of its pets.</p><p>Laughing light and breezy, Lance stands from the bed brandishing his hand dramatically towards Keith. “Would you do me the honor of accompanying me to this very exciting food you talk about?”</p><p>Rolling his eyes, Keith huffs but it's followed by a small soft shake of his head. He places his hand into Lance’s waiting palm and lets himself be pulled from the bed.</p><p> </p><p>* * *</p><p> </p><p>"How are you feeling?" Hunk asks, voice dense with concern as Lance plops himself unceremoniously next to Keith, food goo clunking on the table.</p><p>"Great."</p><p>Hunk’s eyebrows crease and his lips tighten, voice soft and slow as if he’s scared of crossing some unknown line. "Are you sure? You only got out of the pod a couple days ago and you were pretty bad."</p><p>Lance’s smile is wide and most importantly real. "I'm fucking <em>fantastic</em> right now."</p><p>Rolling his eyes, Keith lifts a spoonful of food goo to his mouth hoping to hide the smile slowly stretching across his face.</p><p>"So," shiro drawls unfolding his arms too wave between the two of them, "is everything solved then?"</p><p>Lance turns to Keith wiggling his eyebrows, smirk wide and crooked, smugness slipping heavily into his voice. "Everything is <em>more</em> than <em>solved</em>."</p><p>"Lance!" Keith chastises.</p><p>Elbow on the table, head in palm, Lance turns to face Keith, raising one eyebrow as if declaring some unspoken competition. "What?"</p><p>Keith groans, shaking his head dismissively. "Nothing.” He says attempting for casual, but there's a soft fond undertone he can’t seem to shake.</p>
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